Critical stakeholders in Ghana’s Tobacco Control Sector are currently convened in Accra for a high-level consultative meeting aimed at amending the country’s tobacco control laws to conform with global best practices. This is in view of the fact that the current law, Public Health Act 851 has been in operation for close to 15 years.
Organized under the leadership of the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA), the meeting assembled policymakers, law enforcement agencies, public health professionals, Civil Society Organizations, and international partners to validate Ghana’s draft amended tobacco control framework to conform with the World Health Organization’s Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC) and the Ilicit Trade Protocol.
Director of the Tobacco and Substances of Abuse Directorate at the FDA, Dr. Olivia Agyekumwaa Boateng, who is also the WHO FCTC Focal Person on Tobacco Control, emphasized the importance of adapting the country’s legal instruments to address new tobacco-related innovations.
“We cannot enforce laws designed for traditional tobacco products against these new technologies,” she said. “Our proposed amendments will create a more adaptive regulatory framework to confront the evolving challenges posed by electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS), heated tobacco products, flavored tobacco, and other emerging variants.”
The legislative review aligns with Ghana’s commitment to the World Health Organization’s Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC), which the country ratified in 2004. It also builds on the foundation laid by the Public Health Act of 2012 and the FDA’s regulatory enforcement since then.
Executive Director of Vision for Alternative Sustainable Development (VAST Ghana), Labram Musah, welcomed the consultative process, calling it an opportunity to deepen the impact of existing policies.
“This is not just a legal review, but a significant step toward accelerating our tobacco control agenda,” he said. “By updating our laws, we’re not only addressing enforcement gaps but also ensuring Ghana keeps pace with global best practices.”
The proposed amendments aim to:
• Create comprehensive regulatory responses to close enforcement gaps, prevent tobacco industry interference, and align with global standards;
• Implement stricter control mechanisms to safeguard public health from the risks posed by new forms of nicotine consumption.
WHO Ghana’s representative, Pascal Kingsley Mwin commended Ghana for its proactive stance and reaffirmed the organization’s support.
“The WHO’s participation underscores the importance of global cooperation in tobacco control,” he said. “This meeting is a platform for knowledge-sharing and a testament to Ghana’s leadership in public health protection.”
The gathering marks a continuation of efforts that began last year when key stakeholders met to explore legal pathways for strengthening Ghana’s tobacco regulations. The current session is focused on ensuring that the final amendments reflect a wide spectrum of expertise and experience across sectors.
As Ghana looks to fortify its defenses against the shifting landscape of tobacco products, the consultative meeting in Accra is expected to yield a more robust, flexible, and future-ready regulatory framework—one that will better protect Ghanaians from the health hazards of both traditional and modern tobacco use.